The British Horseracing Board ruled Sunday that the rescheduled Cheltenham Festival cannot take place April 17-19 because the Gloucestershire, England course falls within a foot and mouth infected area. According to Racenews, a foot and mouth outbreak has been confirmed at Woolstone, about five miles from the course.

Discussions to continued to take place over the weekend with all interested parties about the re-scheduling of Cheltenham, with the aim of confirming as soon as possible the new dates for the three days. The Cheltenham Board Sunday and gave its backing to the process. Progress has been made but there are still various issues to be determined -- the main one being what will happen to Ireland's Punchestown Festival which is scheduled from April 24 to 27.

Cheltenham Racecourse on Wednesday expressed "intense disappointment" over the postponement of next week's National Hunt Festival, which was due to start on Tuesday, March 13. The 2001 Festival will now take place either in the week of April 16th or the following week. An announcement about the exact dates will be made as soon as possible.

France on Monday banned exports of animals at risk from foot-and-mouth disease after tests on nine herds showed traces of the highly contagious virus. In Belgium, tests showed no evidence of the disease in suspected pigs. The BBC reported French horses are set to pull out of the Cheltenham festival as a result of the country's restrictions on movement of animals. managing director of Cheltenham Racecourse, said the meet is still scheduled for March 13-15.